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Closed Support the Rights of Disabled People: Stop Modern-Day Eugenics

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The Paralympics bring to our attention the amazing achievements of our disabled athletes. However under current law, some of these athletes could have been aborted up to the day of their birth.

The Abortion Act states that foetuses cannot be aborted if the pregnancy is over 24 weeks. But there is an exception if the baby would be born with physical or mental abnormalities - including things like cleft lip and palette which can be treated with surgery. This exception reinforces negative stereotypes about disabled people.

The Paralympics show that disabled people are as valued and live as worthwhile lives as able-bodied people. We ask for an end to the discrimination between disabled and non-disabled foetuses.

Whatever your opinion on abortion, if you support equal disabled rights then there are only two logical conclusions: set the limit on the abortion of disabled foetuses to 24 weeks, or increase the limit on all foetuses. We request that HM Government considers the former.

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    This petition will stay open until 31 August 2013.